Iceland: Hiking Sulur and Kerling

Factual Questions
1

Hello,

I will be in Iceland in a few weeks and planning a trip to Akureyri for a couple of days (Oct 3-4). Will it be possible to hike to Sulur and Kerling at this time ? How deep will the snow be along the way and at the top ? We’ll be prepared for a long day hike, but are not planning to bring any specialized climbing gear (ie: no crampons, or ice axe etc). Does this seem reasonable ?

thanks !

2

Why not ask the tourist information office there? Everyone in Ice
land will read and speak English okay.

Link via Home - Arnarstapi Center

I suspect you may have a problem about the amount of daylight - about 7 hours in October. Assuming they have daylight saving time there then you may wish to go before the clocks go back - just over a month I think.

Have not been that far north at that time of year but anything high (>800m) may be a problem re snow and ice.

3

Daylight saving time doesn’t affect the amount of daylight. You can start your trip around sunrise any time of the year to maximize your hours of light. (Does not apply to areas above the arctic circle or relevant parts of Antarctica in the period with no sunrise.)

4

Also IIRC Iceland does not use daylight savings time at all. I was there this summer, and google insisted (wrongly) that it was on British summer time when it was actually on GMT, just like the rest of the year. Not that it mattered – I was never awake for the 1:30 AM sunset or 2:00 AM sunrise.

There are several companies that specialize in guiding events in Iceland (example) that you might consider contacting.

5

I never said daylight saving did effect the amount of daylight available in October. Of course it doesn’t…

6

Neither did you give any other reason for going before DST ends. I just wanted to make sure you weren’t mis(?)interpreted and, you know, spread ignorance.

7

Fair enough!

I probably should have stated it - but had DST been in use in Iceland it’s end might have marked reductions in public transport timetables, accomodation availability etc. In many places in Europe the end of DST marks the end of the tourist season. That was my thinking…